Out of Time, Out of Options
by Big Friggin Ray of Sunshine
Summary: Hammersley gets caught in a battle that leaves Nav in command. Result of a Doctor Who marathon and very powerful antibiotics and pain killers. Sequel will come later. Oneshot.


Out of Time, Out of Options

A/N: I have no clue where this came from. I think its a product of antibiotics and a Doctor Who marathon. Always a good combination

Disclaimer: I don't own Sea Patrol..

1324 HRS

HMAS Hammersley

21 miles NW of Cairns

Smoke rose out of the gaping hole in the roof of the bridge as the ship shuddered from another hit. _Hammersley _had already taken more than it should, but the stubborn ship wouldn't give up. Nav winced as her head bounced of the headrest of the command chair. Mike had died in the first attack, and Kate hadn't come aboard when they left port, which left Nav in command.

'Here I am, getting my first _real_ command experience in a battle the ship is destined to lose.' She thought bitterly, wiping some dust off her DPNUs. She glanced over at Buffer and Charge, both knowing the end was near. Nikki grabbed the PA system, taking a deep breath before activating it.

"All crew, muster boat deck. All crew, muster boat deck with your life jackets and prepare to abandon ship. RO bridge, at the rush." She said, glancing at the looks Buffer and Charge gave her. She grabbed the emergency EPIRB from under her chair, pulling the activator and placing it on the helm console.

"You wanted me, ma'am?" RO asked, bagging important ship papers up in water tight bags.

"Give me the ship's log and a pen." She said simply, letting her head bounce from another impact. She set the book in her lap and ran her fingers over the gold lettering on the cover. SHe flipped open the book to the new page and began to write.

_"1343 HRS, Arafura Sea. LCDR Flynn has died in battle and I have assumed command. However, Hammersley won't last much longer. I'm going to put the survivors of the crew on the rhibs with an EPIRB and set a collision course. Not how I imagined dying, but…anyway. To whoever reads this, I'm sorry. Just, try not to be too hard on me because I let them 'scratch the paint'. At this point, they've done more than scratch the fuckin paint._

_ Tell mum and dad I love 'em, and…goodbye._

_ Signed,_

_Lieutenant Nikki "Nav" Caetano _

She gently closed the book and handed it to RO, who placed it in a watertight bag and disappeared below.

"Charge! Take an EPIRB for both rhibs. Land is on a heading of 1-3-5, 22 miles distant. Get the boats in the water and get gone. You don't wanna be here when the ammo stores go up. Dismissed." Nikki said, handing him a slip of paper with the information on it.

"I'm not leaving without you, ma'am." Charge said, handing the paper back to her.

"It wasn't a request." She snapped, shooting him a look. He pulled his hand back and raised it up, saluting her. Buffer did the same.

"Aye, ma'am." Charge whispered. They both started fro the door as Nav got up to walk over to the helm. Buffer turned and ran back to her, pulling her in close and kissing her deeply. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead on hers, looking deep into her eyes.

"I love you. Be careful. Just don't…die on me. 'K?" Buffer whispered.

"I won't. Now go! Get out." She ordered, turning back to the console.

"Pete?" She said, making him turn and look at her. "I love you, too." She said, letting a tear roll down her cheek. He smiled and nodded his head a little, disappearing below from the flaming bridge. She wiped some sweat off her forehead and coughed, mentally cursing the heat from the flames that were bathing the bridge in an eerie red light. She listened to the sound of the rhib engines roar away before easing into the helm station chair. She aimed the ship right at the ship that had been attacking them and jammed the throttles all the way forward. Thanks to a lucky shot made by Buffer during the first attack, she knew they wouldn't be moving out of her way any time soon.

She felt the engines push her forward in the water, heard the gentle thrum as if the ship had come to terms with it's end. Nikki watched the other ship get closer and closer until it loomed over the _Hammersley_. Nav urged the ship to go faster, glancing at the speed monitor.

'30 knots. Might as well surpass the max speed on her last run.' Nikki thought as the proximity alarm went off. She walked over to the command chair and sat down in it, letting her head fall back against the headrest and her eyes close, coming to terms with her end. She felt the hull impact with the other ship and time seemed to slow. The bow of the _Hammersley_ crumpled until the ammo stores were being crushed, and one shell went off, then another and another until they all exploded, braking the ship in half and sending Nav flying into the ocean, piece of shrapnel in her arm and unconscious.

'Is this it?' Nikki thought, feeling the blackness close in on her. Her lungs couldn't pull any air in. She was starting to suffocate. She passed out as something started to pull on her shirt. Her last conscious thought was a long one.

'Is this my end? It should be. I'm out of time, out of options, out of hope. So. This is how I'm gonna die. Not how I expected, but it'll do.' She thought, letting the blackness consume her.


End file.
